NATA Now

By Kim Diggs

Throughout the 70th NATA Clinical Symposia & AT Expo, attendees have participated in one or more of the charitable initiatives taking place on-site. Though it is the last day of NATA 2019, it is not too late to contribute to organizations aiming to change the lives of others. The National Basketball Athletic Trainers’ Association Gary Vitti Blood Drive, Be the Match Marrow Registry Drive and Project 150 School Supply Drive are still going strong.

Find out how these initiatives have fared thus far and learn how you can contribute.

By Kim Diggs

The NATA Research & Education Foundation is a nonprofit organization aiming to push the profession forward by providing grants for research projects.

“The money helps us further the advancement of the AT profession,” said  NATA Foundation Director Jennifer Yoder. “It helps us facilitate our research and education programs.”

During the course of NATA 2019, there are a few ways attendees can help the NATA Foundation reach its goals.

By Kim Diggs

At 7:15 a.m. June 25, more than 300 members assembled in South Seas GH for what President Tory Lindley, MA, ATC, called “the largest NATAPAC Breakfast yet.” The breakfast is an annual fundraiser for the NATA Political Action Committee (NATAPAC) to fund the political efforts necessary for the progression of the profession.

This year, the keynote speaker was Ronnie Barnes, ATC, the first president of NATA Research & Education Foundation and a NATA Hall of Famer.

By Kim Diggs

General Session Day is one of the biggest gatherings of the year for NATA members, staff, family and friends to celebrate accomplishments and look onward toward the future. This year is no exception with a bevy of events taking place throughout the day in Shoreline.

Featured Presentation

11:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m.

By Kim Diggs

Prior to the 70th NATA Clinical Symposia & AT Expo beginning, six preconference workshops were held on a variety of topics, primarily in the South Seas ballroom. Workshops ranging from three and a half to six hours incorporated lectures and hands-on labs to explore topics such as joint dislocation evaluation and suturing minor skin wounds.

By Kim Diggs

For the first time, the LGBTQ+ Advisory Committee will host a town hall meeting at 7 p.m. June 25 in Oceanside F.

One of the youngest committees in NATA, LGBTQ+AC was created to push the athletic training profession toward further inclusion and advocacy of diverse patient populations and athletic trainers of all sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions.

By Kim Diggs

While today marks the official start of the 70th NATA Clinical Symposia & AT Expo, yesterday we brought in NATA 2019 with a bang. The Welcome Reception, held Monday, June 24, brought the neon lights of the strip to the dance floor in Oceanside D. NATA members, family and friends donned their glow-in-the-dark finest as they danced to the tunes of DJ Daddyfats and ’80s New Wave band, The Spazmatics.

Certified athletic trainers who attend all three days of the 70th NATA Clinical Symposia & AT Expo will earn up to 25 CEUs. Additional CEUs can be earned by attending Monday's Advance Track Seminars (6 CEUs for the 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. events and 4 CEUs for the 8 a.m. to noon events) and Minicourses (1 CEU per Minicourse). Pricing and CEUs vary.

Are you an athletic training student attending the 70th NATA Clinical Symposia & AT Expo in Las Vegas? If you’re interested in learning from experienced athletic trainers, seeing a live anatomy lesson or networking with your future colleagues, look no further than the Athletic Training Student Seminar (ATSS). Organized by the NATA Student Leadership Committee, ATSS provides noncredentialed students the opportunity to explore the athletic training profession.

By Yuri Hosokawa, PhD, ATC
Waseda University, Faculty of Sport Sciences
NATA International Committee
WFATT 2019 World Congress Planning Committee